Tough Enough For War

>t iidA AMERICA’S PROTECTORS Tough Enough For War (NAPSA)—A “rugged” version of the world’s No. 1 pocket PC may soon go to war. The handheld computeris built to withstand extreme environmental conditions—ranging from shock and vibration to high heat and humidity—required for military and industrial use. A tough new computer can help the U.S. military keep the situation well in hand. The palm-size units, which can be used for mission planning and global positioning applications, can withstand temperature variances from minus 13 degrees to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. They also can operate in rain up to 1.8 inches per hour and at altitudes up to 30,000 feet. The devices have a coating that prevents the emission of radiation that could alert a potential enemy to the location of soldiers using the devices. The coating also prevents anyone from tapping into data that may be transmitted on the handheld. Initially, the rugged Agama HP iPAQs by Raytheon will be used to calculate firing plots for artillery or mortar crews, mission planning and global positioning applications. Analysts predict the rugged handheld computer market will exceed $129 million by 2005.